TECHNOLOGY BRIEFING

Thursday, November 3, 2005

INTERNET

Google to Start Posting Full Versions of Books

Google will start making available today the entire contents of books that aren't entangled in a copyright battle over how much material can be scanned and indexed from five major libraries. The material, available at http://www.print.google.com , represents the first large batch of public domain books to be indexed in its search engine since the Mountain View, Calif.-based company announced an ambitious project to scan millions of books in the New York Public Library and four university libraries -- Stanford, Harvard, Michigan and Oxford.

The Authors Guild and five major publishers are suing to prevent Google from scanning copyrighted material without explicit permission. Google postponed the scanning of copyrighted books in August to give writers and publishers more time to opt out.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Nokia Debuts Multimedia Phones

Nokia launched three new multimedia handsets that let users watch TV, play music and swap content between electronic devices at home. The phones, including Nokia's first consumer-oriented handset with wireless Internet connectivity, are expected to be in stores in the first half of next year at $480 to $720.

INVESTIGATIONS

Mercury Executives Resign After Stock Probe

Mercury Interactive, which makes software to test computer programs, said its chief executive, chief financial officer and general counsel resigned after a company investigation found that they manipulated the value of stock options for six years. The company named Anthony Zingale, who joined Mercury in December 2004, chief executive.

Mercury said that by changing the dates of when options were granted, the officials were able to make it appear as though they made less money and reduce their taxes. Mercury said it found 49 instances since 1995 in which the stated date of an option grant was different from when it was granted, and the new date was almost always one when Mercury shares traded at a lower price.

VIDEO GAMES

Electronic Arts to Make 'Simpsons' Titles

Electronic Arts, the world's largest video game maker, plans to team up with 20th Century Fox Television to make video games based on "The Simpsons."

Electronic Arts will work with three writers from the cartoon show to create a number of adventure games for consoles and handheld devices, the company said.

The agreement underscores efforts by Electronic Arts to foster links with the television and movie industries as more powerful game machines enable developers to create titles with more advanced graphics and intricate story lines.

EARNINGS

Nortel Networks , the largest North American telephone equipment maker, said its third-quarter loss narrowed, to $105 million (2 cents a share) from $259 million (6 cents) in the comparable period a year earlier, as revenue surged on orders for gear to send calls and data over the Internet. Revenue rose 22 percent, to $2.66 billion.

GenVec , a Gaithersburg biotechnology company, said its third-quarter loss narrowed, to $3.3 million (6 cents a share) from $4.8 million (9 cents). Revenue more than doubled, to $6.9 million from $2.9 million.

Compiled from staff and news service reports.